Watchdog rips Mounties for preventing a woman in custody from showering for nearly a week

The RCMP has agreed to change its prisoner-handling policy after it was chastised by its watchdog for preventing a woman from showering while in custody for nearly a week.

The Civilian Review and Complaints Commission also said the Mounties breached the woman's privacy by filming her using the toilet without letting her know.

The CRCC's report, completed last year and recently obtained through an access to information request, doesn't represent the first time the watchdog has called out the RCMP for denying shower access.

According to the report, the woman — whose name is redacted in the documents released to CBC News — was arrested in Grand Prairie, Alta. following a "dog-biting incident."

The woman argued she had not been given any information about her charges and refused to sign a release document promising to appear at a later date, said the report.

Police kept her in custody for nearly a week awaiting a release hearing.

The CRCC's investigators said that decision was inconsistent with the Criminal Code. Further, the watchdog wrote the woman was being held for two bylaw offences that are subject to fines — something which seemed lost on the responding officer.

"This lack of knowledge adversely affected [the woman] who was required to spend almost one week in custody for non-criminal bylaw matters," reads the final report.

"Although this was in part due to her refusal to identify herself during the judicial interim release hearing, it was nevertheless a bizarre result."

The RCMP said it has since apologized to the woman for failing to release her within a reasonable time.

The woman told the CRCC that she was not given an opportunity to take a shower during her nearly seven days in a police cell.

The RCMP pushed back at first, arguing access to showers is"dependent on a variety of factors, including length of stay and per cellblock supervisor's discretion." 

The detachment also argued there were 67 other prisoners lodged in cells at the time requiring supervision, said the report.

"The commission finds the RCMP's response to be unreasonable and that basic hygienic measures such as showers are fundamental to the personal integrity of any person lodged in cells for an extended period," it said.